Checklist template

Vendor shrink control for convenience stores

A ready-to-use checklist with 112 items in 6 sections, covering Check-in accuracy, Credits, Stales, Unauthorized items, Records, Trends. Use it as-is in InspectLoop, or adapt it to your own standards in minutes.

  • 6 Sections
  • 112 Items
  • 91 Yes / No checks
  • 6 Scored ratings
  • 121 Points

Use this template How audits work

1. Check-in accuracy 20 items

  1. One vendor delivery was re-counted by the inspector during this visit, after the store employee had signed for it Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Unit differences found in the delivery re-counted during the visit Number
  3. Cases signed for as full were full, on 3 cases opened from the delivery re-counted Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Stacked cases are broken down far enough to see that inner layers are full Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The employee keeps their own written tally of the count, apart from the driver's paperwork Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Where the driver's handheld prints the invoice after the count, the printed quantities are read against the employee's tally before signing Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The employee signs directly under the last line delivered, leaving no blank lines where items could be added Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The store's copy and the vendor's electronic record of the same delivery show the same quantities, on a check of 3 invoices of the last 30 days Yes / No 1 pt
  9. No product appears twice on one invoice under two item codes, on a check of 3 invoices Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Product the driver reports as out of stock on the truck is struck from the invoice before signing Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Product brought in on a second trip to the truck, after the count, is counted and added to the invoice Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Shortages found at check-in in the last 30 days were each deducted from the invoice total, on a check of the invoices entered Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Deposits and container charges on the invoice match the quantities delivered Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The tobacco and candy wholesaler's totes arrive sealed, with seal numbers matching the manifest Yes / No 1 pt
  15. A tote that arrives with a broken or missing seal is counted in front of the driver and noted on the manifest Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Vendors arrive within the delivery window agreed for each route, so an employee is free to check them in Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Deliveries made while the store is closed or with a key are limited to the vendors named on the company's unattended-delivery list Yes / No 1 pt
  18. An unattended delivery is counted by the first employee on duty before the product is stocked Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Vendors paid by scan-based trading still have their deliveries counted, so that shrink in their section can be measured Yes / No 1 pt
  20. Exposure of the check-in to a short delivery Rating
    • Own count and tally, corrections on both copies 5 pts
    • Count relies partly on the driver's figures 3 pts
    • Signed on the driver's word 1 pt

2. Credits 20 items

  1. Each return is written on a credit slip that carries the vendor's document number Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The store's copy of the credit slip is stapled to the invoice of the same visit Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Credit quantities are written in ink with unused lines struck through Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Credits are deducted on the invoice or issued as a separate numbered credit, never promised verbally Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Each credit slip of the last 30 days appears as a deduction on a later invoice or on the vendor statement, on a check of 5 slips Yes / No 1 pt
  6. The quantity on the store's copy of the credit slip equals the quantity on the vendor's record of the same credit, on a check of 3 slips Yes / No 1 pt
  7. No credit was settled by the driver in cash or in free product in place of a credit slip Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The manager initials the credit slips of each week, so the employee who signed is not the only person to see them Yes / No 1 pt
  9. A shortage found after the driver has left is claimed in writing from the vendor's office, quoting the invoice number Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Damaged product refused at the door is noted on the invoice as refused, not received and credited later Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Damaged product awaiting credit is kept on site until the slip is written, with none thrown out beforehand Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The count of returnable empties (kegs, crates, shells, pallets) picked up is written on the paperwork before the driver loads them Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Deposits billed for kegs, crates and pallets over the last 30 days are offset by pickups, with no growing balance of deposits paid Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Bottle deposit returns collected by the vendor are credited at the deposit rate Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Recalled product picked up by a vendor was credited on the same visit Yes / No 1 pt
  16. A credit promised by a sales representative is confirmed in writing before the store counts on it Yes / No 1 pt
  17. No vendor credit has been outstanding longer than the time set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Value of vendor credits issued in the last 30 days (dollars) Number
  19. Credit slips of the last 30 days not yet matched to a deduction Number
  20. Tracing of vendor credits to payment Rating
    • Every slip sampled was deducted 5 pts
    • Some slips not yet deducted 3 pts
    • Nobody traces credits 1 pt

3. Stales 18 items

  1. Out-of-date product from direct-delivery vendors is held in one marked area until the vendor's next visit Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The stale holding area is away from saleable back stock Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The bread vendor's stale count is taken item by item from the color tag or date, not estimated by the tray Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Out-of-date milk and dairy are counted by the employee before the driver takes them Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Stale snack and chip bags are counted by the employee before the driver takes them Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Drivers do not remove stales from the shelf straight to the truck without an employee's count Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The stale quantity credited matches the employee's count on a check of 3 recent slips Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Each vendor's stale policy (full credit, swap, or no credit) is listed on a sheet at the check-in area Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Out-of-date product from vendors that give no credit is entered on the store's write-off log Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The employee writes the stale count on a stale sheet before the driver arrives, so the credit can be compared with it Yes / No 1 pt
  11. No out-of-date vendor-stocked product was found on the shelf on a check of 10 items Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Short-dated product is not accepted at delivery beyond the minimum remaining life set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Beer past the brewer's freshness date is pulled and credited by the distributor Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Magazines or newspapers returned for credit are counted against the return form, where the store carries them Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Vendors with repeated high stale returns have had their order quantities or standing order reduced Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Out-of-date vendor-stocked items found on the shelf during the visit Number
  17. Stale units credited by the bread vendor in the last 30 days Number
  18. Handling of stale product from vendors Rating
    • Counted, credited and filed every time 5 pts
    • Credited without the store's count 3 pts
    • Removed with no credit record 1 pt

4. Unauthorized items 17 items

  1. The list of authorized vendors for this store is kept at the check-in area Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The authorized item list or planogram for each direct-delivery vendor is available to the employee checking in Yes / No 1 pt
  3. No delivery was accepted in the last 30 days from a vendor missing from the authorized list Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Items on recent invoices are in the price book, on a check of 5 items Yes / No 1 pt
  5. An item that scans "not on file" at check-in is refused rather than received Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Vendors do not add new items, sizes or flavors without the approval named in company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Vendors do not enlarge their shelf space or add facings beyond the planogram Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Vendor racks, shippers or coolers on the sales floor each have written approval from the company Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Product a vendor left on trial or on consignment is listed on a signed document stating who owns it Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Vendors do not change shelf tags or prices Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Vendor price changes take effect only after the price book is updated by the office Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Free goods and promotional product left by a vendor are recorded on the invoice at zero cost Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Samples or gifts from vendors to employees are refused or reported, per company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  14. No vendor is paid in cash from the register, except through a recorded paid-out allowed by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Items found on the shelf that are missing from the price book Number
  16. Vendor displays on the sales floor with no written approval Number
  17. Compliance of vendors with the authorized item list Rating
    • Only authorized items and displays 5 pts
    • A few unauthorized items 3 pts
    • Vendors stock what they choose 1 pt

5. Records 18 items

  1. Each vendor log entry of the last 7 days matches an invoice or a note that nothing was delivered Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Each invoice of the last 7 days matches a visit in the vendor log Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The log shows the name of the employee who checked the vendor in Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Invoices are entered in the back-office system by someone other than the employee who received the delivery, or are reviewed by the manager Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Invoices of the last 30 days are filed by vendor and date Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Each filed invoice carries the signature of the employee who received the delivery Yes / No 1 pt
  7. No invoice of the last 30 days is signed by the driver alone Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Invoice totals entered in the system match the paper invoices on a check of 5 invoices Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Electronic invoices received from vendors are compared with the driver's paper copy before acceptance Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Invoices with handwritten added lines in the last 30 days were each initialed by the manager Yes / No 1 pt
  11. A voided or re-issued invoice is kept with its replacement and marked void Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The store's copy of each invoice is the one signed at the door, not a reprint supplied later by the vendor Yes / No 1 pt
  13. No vendor invoice number of the last 30 days was entered twice in the back-office system Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Vendor statements are compared with the store's invoices each month, where the store pays its vendors Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Invoices are kept on site for the period set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Vendor deliveries received in the last 7 days according to the vendor log Number
  17. Invoices of the last 7 days missing an employee signature Number
  18. Date of the last vendor statement compared with the store's invoices Date

6. Trends 19 items

  1. The manager reviews purchases against sales by vendor each month Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Categories stocked by vendors (beer, soft drinks, salty snacks, bread) are counted at the frequency set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Shrink by vendor-stocked category is known to the manager for the last inventory period Yes / No 1 pt
  4. A vendor whose category shows high shrink has been re-counted at check-in by the manager in person Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Credits as a percentage of purchases are tracked for each direct-delivery vendor Yes / No 1 pt
  6. A driver with repeated count errors has been reported to the vendor's supervisor Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Check-in errors are traced to the employee who signed, with coaching on file Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Surprise re-counts of a delivery after the driver has signed off are done at the frequency set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Results of surprise re-counts are kept in the vendor file Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Cost increases on invoices are reported to the office or category manager Yes / No 1 pt
  11. The district manager reviewed the vendor log and credit file at the last visit Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Vendor shrink results were discussed with employees who check in deliveries in the last 3 months Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Shortages found at check-in in the last 30 days Number
  14. Surprise re-counts done in the last 30 days Number
  15. Name of the vendor with the most count errors in the last 3 months Short text
  16. Name of the manager responsible for vendor check-in Short text
  17. Trend in vendor credits and shortages over the last 3 months Rating
    • Improving or steady at a low level 5 pts
    • Unchanged 3 pts
    • Worsening 1 pt
  18. Overall control of vendor shrink Rating
    • Strong 5 pts
    • Partial 3 pts
    • Weak 1 pt
  19. Corrective actions required Comments

About this template

This checklist is part of the InspectLoop template library. Yes / No checks score 1 point when met; ratings score the points shown for each option. The overall score is the percentage of points earned, with N/A answers excluded. In InspectLoop you can add photos, assign corrective actions, require sign-off and compare results across sites.

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